A Concise History of Modern Painting (World of Art)

An excellent introductory book on modern art. A must. Very well written, very clear in its concepts and, I think, a classic of art history.

I love the "World of Art" series. It is definitely published with the artist and art student in mind. You get a lot of art at an affordable price. Most art books in this price range are thin volumes of washed-out color and dismal black and white, with a sprinkling of superficial text. Their subject is usually limited to the handful of artists that are wildly popular with the public, such as the impressionists. Not this series! "A Concise History of Modern Painting" is especially well-packed, with 500 illustrations, 118 of them in excellent color. Pages are semi-slick so the art reproduces well. The plates are very well planned. Thumbing through the book, you get the feeling of color, color, color! Black-and-white plates are reserved for drawings (graphite, ink, charcoal), prints, and a few sculptures. All of these are well-suited to reproduction in black and white (although there is also a 43-page appendix, "a pictorial survey of modern painting", featuring 6-8 black-and-white illustrations per page). "A Concise History of Modern Painting" discusses artists who work within styles the author describes as specifically modern (as distinguished from earlier periods). It focuses on ideas, works and movements. All illustrations are chosen within that context. (Realistic artists are not represented.) The book includes text references, a bibliography, a list of works reproduced, and an index. It's a 6"x8" paperback edition, about an inch thick--a good size for packing. The binding is glued, not sewn, but it seems durable, and I think it will last. I carry mine on trips, though I haven't had it long enough to see how well it wears. I discovered the "World of Art" series while travelling and bought several titles. They're the best art books at this price I've ever found.